A Cloud Readiness Guide for OpenText Exstream Users

Customer Communications Management (CCM) has become a cornerstone of business success. OpenText Exstream empowers organizations to deliver personalized, consistent, multichannel customer communications. However, as customer expectations evolve and digital transformation accelerates, modernizing CCM systems by moving to the cloud has become essential.

This article explores why cloud readiness is critical for OpenText Exstream users, the benefits of cloud-native CCM, and how to prepare for a successful migration.

Why Cloud Readiness Matters for CCM

Cloud readiness for CCM is more than just a technological shift; it’s about transforming how organizations interact with customers. By transitioning OpenText Exstream to a cloud-native platform, businesses can:

• Deliver Seamless Customer Experiences: Modern customers expect real-time, personalized interactions across all channels. A cloud-native CCM system improves agility and responsiveness, enabling organizations to meet these expectations.
• Achieve Operational Efficiency: Cloud platforms reduce the complexity of managing on-premises infrastructure and enable faster deployment of updates and innovations.
• Ensure Scalability: Cloud-based Exstream solutions allow businesses to dynamically scale resources, adapting to seasonal communication peaks or unexpected demand surges.
• Enhance Security and Compliance: Leading cloud providers offer built-in governance and compliance tools, ensuring secure and compliant communication processes.

Key Benefits of OpenText Exstream in the Cloud

Modernizing CCM with a cloud-native Exstream solution unlocks significant advantages:

• Omnichannel Delivery Simplified: Exstream enables centralized management of communications across channels—email, print, SMS, web, and more—ensuring consistency and quality.
• Real-Time Personalization: Cloud platforms integrate seamlessly with customer data platforms (CDPs), CRMs, and ERPs, enabling data-driven, hyper-personalized communications.
• Faster Time to Market: Cloud-native architecture accelerates the deployment of new templates, campaigns, and communication processes.
• Cost Optimization: Businesses can significantly reduce operational costs by eliminating on-premises infrastructure and leveraging pay-as-you-go models.

Addressing Key Pain Points with Cloud Modernization

Organizations managing CCM systems on legacy infrastructure often face:

• Siloed Data: Integrating data from disparate sources can be challenging. The cloud enables centralized data integration, ensuring a 360-degree customer view.
• Resource Constraints: On-premises systems require significant IT resources for maintenance and upgrades. Cloud platforms offload this burden, allowing IT teams to focus on innovation.
• Compliance Risks: Changing regulatory requirements add complexity. Cloud platforms simplify adherence with built-in compliance tools.
• Limited Scalability: Legacy systems struggle with increasing communication volumes. Cloud-native Exstream ensures elasticity to handle both planned and unplanned demand.

Preparing for Cloud Readiness

Transitioning OpenText Exstream to the cloud requires strategic planning and organizational alignment. Here’s how to prepare:

1. Assess Your Current CCM Ecosystem

Conduct a thorough evaluation of your existing Exstream setup:

• Identify inefficiencies in workflows and bottlenecks in communication processes.
• Map out integrations with CRMs, ERPs, and other data sources.
• Review current compliance protocols and security measures.

2. Engage Key Stakeholders

Cloud modernization impacts marketing, IT, customer service, and compliance teams. Align these stakeholders to define shared goals and priorities for the migration.

3. Define Your Cloud Strategy

Determine your organization’s priorities:

• Is the focus on scalability, cost optimization, or improving customer experiences?
• Would a public, private, or hybrid cloud model best suit your needs?

4. Plan for Data Migration

Develop a detailed plan for migrating templates, workflows, and customer data to the cloud.

• Ensure data accuracy and integrity.
• Ensure minimal disruption to ongoing communication processes.
• Ensure adherence to data privacy regulations.

5. Enable Change Management

Prepare your teams for new workflows and tools:

• Provide training sessions to ensure users understand the benefits of the cloud-native Exstream platform.
• Communicate the long-term value of modernization to drive adoption.

Steps for a Successful Migration

1. Pilot Your Migration: Start with a small-scale pilot project to validate your migration approach and gather feedback.
2. Leverage Automation: Use automation tools to streamline the migration of templates, workflows, and data.
3. Monitor and Optimize: After migration, continuously monitor performance and optimize processes to fully leverage Exstream's cloud-native capabilities.

The Role of VILT in Your Modernization Journey

As a trusted OpenText partner, VILT specializes in guiding organizations through CCM modernization. From strategic planning to execution, VILT ensures a seamless transition to the cloud, helping you unlock the full potential of OpenText Exstream. Our expertise enables businesses to mitigate risks, optimize costs, and deliver exceptional customer communications.

Ready to start your modernization journey? The time to act is now.